The Friendship That Saved My Golden Years
I met Margaret at a senior center bingo night three years ago. I had recently moved to a new city to be closer to my daughter but she worked long hours and I hardly ever saw her. I was lonely and frustrated wondering if I had made a terrible mistake by leaving my old neighborhood where I had lived for thirty years.
三年前我在老年中心的宾果之夜遇到了Margaret。我刚搬到一个新城市想离女儿近些，但她工作时间长我几乎见不到她。Margaret坐在我旁边立即开始聊天。
Margaret sat next to me and immediately started chatting. She had a warm laugh and a way of making everyone around her feel welcome. By the end of the evening we had exchanged phone numbers. She called me the next morning to invite me to her weekly knitting circle. I had never knitted before but she promised to teach me.
她有温暖的笑声和让周围每个人都感到受欢迎的本事。那晚结束时我们交换了电话号码。第二天早上她打电话邀请我去她的每周编织小组。我以前从没织过但她答应耐心教我。
Over the following months Margaret introduced me to her entire network of friends. We went to art exhibitions attended concerts in the park and hosted potluck dinners where everyone brought their specialty dish. Through her I discovered a community of vibrant interesting people who welcomed me without hesitation. My social calendar became fuller than it had been in decades.
在接下来的几个月里，Margaret把我介绍给了她的整个朋友圈。我们去艺术展、在公园听音乐会、举办百乐餐。通过她我发现了一个充满活力的有趣人群。我的社交日程比几十年来都要充实。
Last year Margaret helped me through a difficult knee replacement surgery. She drove me to appointments brought me homemade soup and kept my spirits up when I felt discouraged. I do not know how I would have managed without her. We are now planning a trip to Europe together next spring. At seventy-eight I am making the best friend of my life.
去年Margaret帮助我度过了艰难的膝关节置换手术。她开车送我去约诊，给我带自制汤，在我气馁时鼓舞我。我不知道没有她我该如何应对。现在我们正在计划明年春天一起去欧洲旅行。七十八岁的我正在交人生中最好的朋友。
